Tiger’s nerves, a celebrity at Riviera and funny Full Swing reviews | Rogers Report
Tiger Woods at Riviera
Claire Rogers
Hello, friends, and happy moving day from the Genesis Invitational. I’ve had a splendid last few days in Los Angeles. I watched Tiger, Rory, and JT tee it up, had the best penne alla vodka of my life (shout out to Caffé Delfini in Santa Monica) and have been going all-in on the iced vanilla lattes in the media center. We have a lot to go over, so let’s get right to it.
Tiger’s nerves?
Tiger admitted that he was focusing on calming himself down all day on Thursday at Riviera, trying to figure out what he was doing out on the course all day because he hasn’t played in a tournament in a while.
I know he’s human, but the guy has won 82 times on the PGA Tour. I was pleasantly surprised by his answer here. It’s cool to see him admit he felt a little uneasy being back, and that he actually had to focus on calming himself down. It’s ironic because that’s exactly what I was trying to do while waiting to ask him the above question. I’m not sure what it is, but my heart always starts to race before I ask a question during post-round pressers. It takes me back to elementary school when I’d raise my hand and simultaneously be trying to not forget the answer and focus on whether the teacher called on me or not. It’s a lot to handle!
It did seem like Tiger got into a groove by the end of the round on Thursday, when he gave JT this look after they both birdied 18.
So good. I find it hard not to smile when stuff like this happens. The fans are screaming for Tiger, and he’s obviously excited about his birdie. It’s just such a wholesome sports moment that I really hope he enjoys.
Favorite spots to watch
This is my second year covering the Genesis Invitational, and I’ve officially declared the second green and 8th tee as my favorite spots to watch the action unfold. I know, I know. The 18th green is also great. But just hear me out. The second green lies between the range and the clubhouse. In other words, there are a lot of people around. Players heading to and from the range will stop by the green to watch players come through. Sahith Theegala watched Tiger, Rory and JT hit their approach shots and finish the hole on his way back from the range ahead of his tee time. It’s fun to watch players take a few moments to watch their peers play, and that’s exactly what we get to see by the second green.
On to the 8th tee. I’ll be honest, I can get very overwhelmed by the crowds. So every few holes I’ll try to find a spot that feels a little less congested than the rest of the course. And when you’re following a star-studded group, that can be very difficult. Not too difficult for me, however. While Tiger, JT and Rory hit their approach shots on No. 7, I booked it to the 8th tee. It’s up on a hill, so most people stay down by the fairway to wait for them. It was quite a trek up to the tee box, but I’m glad I made it because I kind of felt like I had the place to myself for a moment.
More on JT’s wedding
JT’s good friend and wedding officiant, Jason Kennedy, was on-site reporting at Riviera earlier in the week.
The two discussed JT’s wedding, dog, the Netflix documentary and more.
A famous Tiger fan
No, no. Not me. Actor/filmmaker/jack-of-all-trades Rob Lowe was at Riviera on Friday. And it’s safe to say he’s a Tiger fan just like the rest of us.
I love when celebrities and athletes become fans of each other. It’s not only a sign of respect, but it’s cool to see them take photos and videos just like the rest of us. Who is Lowe sending that video to? Is it going on his Instagram story? These are the questions I need answers to.
Riviera real estate
I’ll admit I don’t know much about Los Angeles or real estate, but what I do know is that the houses overlooking Riviera are on another level. Not only are they massive, but they probably have one of the best views around (please note that I say this as a golf gal and not a beach gal).
My sister’s Full Swing reviews
My sister (and best friend) Ellen has begun watching Full Swing on Netflix. She knows about golf through me, but definitely doesn’t enjoy watching it on television. Lucky for me, the Netflix documentary is right up her alley and she’s finally showing some interest in my favorite sport! And lucky for you all, she’s keeping notes on each episode which I will now share.
It’s funny to take it all in from her perspective. Thanks for the content, Ellen.
A (mini) miracle at Riviera
As great as following Tiger has been, that’s not the highlight of my week here at Riviera. It’s the fact that a miracle occurred in the media center. I raced my coworker and pal, Sean Zak, up the hill on No. 18 on Thursday afternoon. When I got back to the media center, it was getting dark and I realized my sunglasses were missing.
I retraced my steps, walking the 18th, 17th and 16th holes again, because I knew I had them on the 16th tee. Then I turned around and walked those holes again as I headed back into the media center. Now, I’ll admit I have a handful of weaknesses, but keeping track of sunglasses is not one of them. I’ve had this pair for almost a year, and my other pair since 2011. So I took this loss very personally, and was whining about it to my coworkers when I saw that Geoff Shackelford had the exact same pair on his desk. He told me that he found them on the 18th hill and was going to turn them in to the lost and found.
I cannot overstate just how relieved I was that they were found. Geoff, I owe you.
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